Race and Ethnicity - Background

'Would they call me a diva if I were a guy?'

'As a woman, I'm expected to want everything to be nice and to be nice myself. A very English thing. I don't design nice buildings - I don't like them. I like architecture to have some raw, vital, earthy quality.'

The picture relating to the participation of black and minority ethnic young people (BME) in STEM careers is a complex one, with participation in some STEM careers being over-represented, for example business, accountancy and technology, compared to the participation of white young people in these careers.

A report for the Royal Society in April 2005 stated:

‘The highest level of employment in Science, Engineering and Technology occupations is among the Chinese population (8.9% of all those employed in 2002-3) and the Indian population (7.2%). The percentage of the White ethnic population in SET occupations is fairly constant at just over 5%. The Black African population (4.0%) and the Pakistani population (4.7%) also have participation rates lower than that of the White population, but the most notably under-represented groups in SET occupations are the Bangladeshi population (1.6%) and the Black Caribbean population (2.3%).’

The proportion of non-white ethnic minorities working in the construction industry in 2009 was 3.3% (EHRC - Race Discrimination in the Construction Industry Enquiry Report).

A 2009 Equality & Human Rights Commission report indicated that:

‘Young people from Asian backgrounds were seen by all in this group to have the strongest pressure from parents to perform well at school, especially in completing subjects in science and law so that they would be able to enter a profession as a doctor or a lawyer.’

‘The visit to London South Bank University was an adventure. I admired the way the lecturers teach over there, and the way they help the students with their projects. This type of educational visit is very beneficial for young students and for young, aspiring engineers who want to become a successful engineer in the future.’

Abu Bakar, a Year 10 student who attended an electronics STEM day at LSBU

‘I refused to take no for an answer.’

Bessie Coleman, first Black person in the world to be a licensed pilot.